May 25, 2010 MCRD Parris Island RV Park

There’s nothing like the sound of small arms fire in the morning to warm the heart of an old Marine…….

We spent 3 nights at this newly opened military campground.  We had planned to spend only 2 but were having a good time and the weather was cooperating and …..  I want to show all the amenities and such that we found there.  It was easy to find and all the sites are level with loose asphalt parking pads.  There is a concrete pad and aluminum picnic table at each site.  There is not much shade but we found one of the few trees and claimed Site 17.  There are 18 sites numbered from 18 at the entrance down to 1 at the far end.

 

                          

The head (bathroom) is located in the middle between Sites 9 and 10.   

The head is a nice new building with handicapped access to the toilets and showers.  There is a laundry room, a water jug filling machine and vending machine there.  The key issued when you register is needed for the doors to the bathroom/showers and the laundry room.  It also unlocks the padlocks for the water and electric hookups.  There is 20/30/50 amp service and plenty of water pressure.  The sewer connection at each site is not locked.  The keys are issued at the ITT office at the Main Exchange Bldg 409 at PI. But reservations are handled through Outdoor Recreation which is at MCAS Beaufort.  The staff at ITT were very friendly and helpful when we arrived without reservations. 

  When we arrived there was only one other rig there.  We sat up on the other end of the campground near a tree.  The road at the far end continues on to Elliot’s Beach Day Use Area.  There is a playground and picnic tables there under the old live oak trees hanging with Spanish Moss.  It’s a nice area to chill out and watch the fishermen and boaters.  Lots of oysters on the mudflats, too.  This is not a swimming area.  There is a rip-rap wall of broken concrete and such to protect the shore here. 

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Back to the campground.  Traffic to and from Elliot’s Beach all day but the campground has its own little frontage road beside the main road.  Traffic almost nil at night.  Quiet.  So quiet you can hear the recruits at the Weapons Battalion chanting when they march.  We heard Tattoo and Taps one night when we were sitting outside. 

Morning sounds start early if you’re sensitive.  The recruits are up and moving to the rifle range and commence firing on the ranges around 0600.  I imagine it’s first light or daybreak when they start so could be later in winter.  Anyways, it’s about a mile away and is not a bother just a presence.  I could hear lots of rifle fire and less pistol fire.  Must have been requalifying permanent personnel on pistol.  This is the range where I was disappointed during boot camp with a broken gas cylinder plug on my M1 on qual day and barely qualified.  Then came back the next year and broke a range record and won a Leatherneck Marksmanship Award with the M14.  Got my LCPL stripe for that, too.  Those were the days.  I had the opportunity to play the bugle at Weapons Battalion while stationed with the PI Drum and Bugle Corps.  I played Reveille, Chow Call, Assembly, Morning Colors, and then Tattoo and Taps along with taking weather readings to determine safe working conditions due to heat and humidity. 

My critique of the campground:  Needs more shade trees.  The one way signs on the campground road are unnecessary': with only 9 sites using the road at each end and it’s wide open visually, I don’t think traffic is going to be a problem.  I have a suspicion the key and padlock system will fail.  I had the number fall off of my keytag and the bead chain parted when I was near the sewer connector.  It’s just lucky I hadn’t opened it yet or the key would have been bye-bye.  I was just thinking if I had been locked in to the electric and had lost the key, what would I have done?  The showers are large and accessible.  The toilet (there is 1 toilet and 1 urinal on the men’s side) is accessible.  2 sinks, good lighting.  The open breezeway could come in handy in rough weather but is open on both ends.  The laundry looked spacious.  I didn’t spend enough time here to count the machines or see what they cost.  The fee is $15 for full hook-ups, not a bad deal.  It’s not far from Mainside, but far enough.  The Main Exchange is about a mile and a half.  There is a service station there.  The main food court is another half mile or so.  The Visitor Center is on the main street and staff there are helpful.  Lots of souvenirs at several stores and the Main Exchange.  Lots of Marines marching and chanting and doing PT and running.  DI’s with their Smokey Bear hats.  Ceremonial swords.  Spit and polish.  Shiny brass.  It’s a good place to go if you want a dose of military.